January 11, 2023
With Barbara Walters passing at the end of 2022, just when this blog was launched, I had to pause to reflect on the amazing woman she was and life that she led.
Numerous tributes and obituaries highlighted her many contributions to journalism and her work with women in the industry.
This post is a tribute to Walters and how The HisTerical Society community intends to embrace her spirit of bringing diverse women together with different points of View.
Barbara Broke Glass Ceilings
Of course, we must start with Barbara Walters’ achievements in the newsroom. She made headlines for five decades in broadcasting through interviews with A-list celebrities and political figures.
She also used her platform to spotlight issues pertaining to women’s rights around the world
In 2015, she famously told People magazine that “women should be able to do whatever they want” when announcing her retirement.
Click here for People Magazine’s Tribute to Barbara Walters:
Barbara Walters never shied away from asking the tough questions to get to the root of the matter. She was not afraid to be provocative or even sometimes confrontational.
She also set a precedent for female journalists who wanted to do more than just “fluff” stories.
The View Established a Diverse Women Audience
The View’s success demonstrated that audiences love to hear from women of different generations and backgrounds with new perspectives.
I’ve been a fan from the very early years and still watch religiously to this day.
I love how the different women always provide an interesting take on a particular topic.
The tributes that peppered the airwaves after Walters’ recent passing reminded me of her opening voiceover in the early days.
“ I always wanted to do a show with women of different generations and backgrounds, with different points of view.”
The goal was to bring together women with diverse backgrounds to have a civilized discussion about topical issues.
I found this fun YouTube video with all the opening titles of the View for the first 19 years.
We hope to build a spirited community with The HisTerical Society. We want to have civilized discussion about hot topics where we don’t always agree (but hopefully learn something).
It’s so important to hear other points of view.
The prevalence of rampant disinformation is alarming.
We easily retreat into our echo chamber bubbles, which leads to gaslighting and cult-like worship of cartoon villains.
We won’t stand for trolls, but we encourage a dialog about topics where we can all learn from diverse perspectives.
Supportive Women Environment
The View Co-Hosts always (or at least are supposed to) support each other, even when they disagree in a heated fashion.
One of the most important things we can do is to support one another, especially when we disagree.
And in this moment, we must build a diverse community and unite against efforts to oppress women and marginalized populations.
How can we expect respect without walking the walk?
It comes down to this: We are all human beings who face challenges every day. So, let’s be kinder and more understanding toward each other than ever before!
Conclusion
Barbara Walters was a pioneer in the journalism industry. Her contributions to women’s empowerment are still felt decades after she left the scene. Her spirit lives on through “The View” and other content that continues to showcase the importance of hearing all voices.
It is my intent to build a diverse community of feminists with a mix of different backgrounds and perspectives. We need to work together to stand up against the patriarchy!